Loom apparatus



June 4, 1940. osy- 2,202,924

' LOOM APPARATUS Filed Oct. 16, 1959 INVENTOR M arz'w S. Ros 2 BY M K ATTORNEY Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED STATES LOOM APPARATUS Maurice S. Rosen, New York, N. Y., assignor to Anne Walters, New York, N. Y.

Application October 16, 1939, Serial No. 299,591

10 Claims.

This invention relates to weaving looms for the fabrication of rag rugs and the like, and particularly to devices in this category adapted to employ strip-s of silk or other fabric tied along supporting cords or strands to form braids of rug material that are subsequently coiled and stitched together to produce the finished rug.

In the process of weaving by looms of this class, it is of utmost importance that the braiding strands be maintained at a constant tension so as to facilitate the weaving operation and enable the production of a uniform product. It has been found, however, that there is a loosening up of the strands in certain commercial devices, due generally to inefiicient tensioning means and insecure supports for the strand holding elements. It is primarily within the contemplation of this invention to eliminate this disadvantage by providing, in a simple and-inexpensive device, firm and secure strand-tensioning means, and permitting the required tension to be maintained throughout the weaving operation. This I accomplish, in a preferred form ofmy invention, by employing strand supporting uprights with 26 intersecting slots adapted to frictionally receive two contiguous portions of two parallel braiding strands, thereby providing a double-acting friction grip capable of holding the strands taut until released, as will more clearly hereinafter 30 appear.

Certain devices of this class are of wire construction, requiring spot-welding operations in their manufacture, and are costly, bulky and inconvenient to handle. It is also an object of my invention to improve over such devices by providing an easily fabricated, inexpensive and conveniently handled apparatus that can be readily assembled and disassembled.

It is also within the contemplation of this in- 0 vention to provide a compact and self-contained unit, whereby the bales of twine, strips of textile material, loom elements and supports therefor are all conveniently contained in a unitary kit which also forms part of the apparatus. And in this aspect of my invention, it is an additional object to further employ the kit not only to retain the bales of twine in proximate relation to the loom elements, but also to provide a firm support for the strand supporting members. With this arrangement no separate bale supporting spindles need be employed to keep the bales from rolling to the floor, nor is there any necessity of providing separate storage cartons for the loom. members, the bales of twine, and. the strips of 65 textile material.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawing and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention including the kit, weaving and loom elements disassembled within the kit, and the partly opened cover.

Figure 2 is a perspective of the loom apparatus of Figure 1 shown in its assembled condition.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the two uprights illustrated in Figure 2 with the braiding strands and knotted textile strips in place during the process of weaving.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a portion of the braiding strands and a-strip of textile material loosely entwined thereabout during one step of the weaving process.

Figure 5 is a view substantially similar to that of Figure 4 with the knot in the strip drawn during the process of sliding it along the braiding strands.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of a portion of the box of Figure 2 showing one arrangement of the uprights.

Figure '7 is a view substantially similar to that of Figure 6, showing a modified arrangement of the uprights, and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of the box of my invention showing still another arrangement of uprights.

In the drawing, the entire apparatus constituting my invention comprises the self-contained unit Ill including the box or kit II with the four lateral walls I2, I3, I 4 and I5, these walls serving not only as box sides for retaining in place the weaving material and the loom elements when disassembled, but also as supports and retaining means for the strand-supporting uprights and weaving materials during the weaving operation, all as will more fully hereinafter appear. In the form of my invention disclosed in the drawing, the said strand-supporting uprights are the two members I6 and I! adapted to operatively receive and hold therebetween the substantially parallel adjacent braiding strands I8 and I9 extending from the two bales of twine 20 and 2|, respectively, which are positioned within the box I I. Also contained within the box I I are the previously cut strips of fabric 22 which are used in the fabrication of the braids of rug material, as will hereinafter be described. In the preferred set-up of this apparatus, the box I I is placed within the cover 23 as illustrated in Figure 2, thereby not only conveniently disposing of said cover, but

also providing reinforcement to the lateral sides of the box H for supporting the uprights l8 and il. It is understood, however, that the said uprights can be suitably supported on the lateral walls of the box H without employing the cover 23, should such an arrangement be deemed preferable or desirable.

The said uprights i6 and ii, according to the preferred form illustrated, have bifurcated lower portions produced by the longitudinal slots 24 and 25 in said uprights. The upper portion of at least one of the uprights 56, as clearly shown in Figure 3, contains an arrangement of two intersecting slots 25 and El, the other upright it being preferably provided with a hook 728 as illustrated. The said slots 25 and 2? cooperate with the hook 738 to constitute strand-holding means whereby the said braiding strands i8 and I9 are maintained in tension throughout the weaving operation. Although the specific arrangement illustrated shows one upright with a cross-slotted upper portion and the other with a hook, this invention is not to be limited to this particular arrangement inasmuch as both uprights may have cross-slotted upper portions within the contemplation of this invention.

In setting up the apparatus constituting this invention, the said uprights it. and i! are supportably positioned over opposite walls i2 and i3 of the kit, the bifurcated lower portions straddling the walls !2 and i3 and the adjacent walls of the cover 23, whereby the supports are frictionally maintained firmly in place. It is preferred in this arrangement that the uprights i6 and H be placed adjacent a connecting wall of the box such as M, thereby providing a further support therefor. The ends of the two strands l8 and iii are then tied together at 29, and such joined portion placed over hook 23 as shown in Figure 2. The two adjacent strands then drawn taut and extended through slot 26 (see Figure 3), around a portion of the upright i6, and then through cross-slot 21, the emerging portions 39 of the two strands being preferably drawn in a generally. downward direction to bring the two intersecting portions of the strands within the slots into actual engagement. It is thus obvious that by such an arrangement the two braiding strands i8 and it can readily be assembled upon the uprights i6 and ii and drawn to the desired tension; and due to the frictional engagement of the walls of slots 26 and 2'5 with said strands, and to the actual cross-engagement of said strands with each other within the slots, such tension will be maintained throughout the braidforming operation. It is of extreme importance in an apparatus of this nature that intermediate portions of the braiding strands such as those which are supported by the upright iii he releasably retained in place preferably by suitable friction means, inasmuch as such portions must be repeatedly disengaged from upright it when successive sections of the braids are completed.

When the strands are in position for braiding, as indicated in either Figure 2 or 3, a strip 22 is stretched across the strands after they are slightly separated, and the ends pulled up from underneath between the strands, as clearly indicated in Figure 4. The ends of the strip are then grasped and drawn in the direction of the arrow, the knot automatically tightening itself during this process, as shown in Figure 5. When the fully formed and knotted strip 22 finally reaches previously formed knots 220;, the cycle of operation is repeated with another strip, and so on.

It will be noted that after a knotted strip is completed and pulled to its final position, there will be a slight space 3| formed between the strands adjacent the knotted strip, thereby facilitating the separation of the strands to the position shown in Figure 4. There is hence no necessity of providing any space-consuming structure for positioning the strands in divergent relation, as has been found necessary in certain other commercial devices.

Although it is preferred, as aforesaid, to employ two substantially parallel braiding strands, the uprights forming part of this invention are also adapted to operatively support a single braiding strand, over which any other known form of loop or knot can be formed from the strips 22.

After sections of the strands between the uprights are completed, such braided sections are detached from the hook 28 and slots 25 and 2? of the uprights, and the next succeeding portion of the strands positioned in place,-the said hook 28 being inserted between two adjacent strands in a completed portion of the braid, as indicated in Figure 3. Following these operations, the

braids are trimmed, coiled and stitched or otherwise fastened together to form a completed rug, mat or other similar article, in conventional manner.

In order to provide a more secure support for the uprights such as i6 and il, the lower portions thereof may be provided with angular slots 32 whereby the said uprights could be positioned at the corners of the box I l, as indicated in Figure '7. By means of this arrangement, each upright is operatively supported by two adjacent walls, and is held against lateral movement.

Figure 8 shows another modified form of my invention employing uprights i6 and ii with angular slots 32 in the lower portions thereof similar to that illustrated in Figure '7, the uprights however being disposed at diagonal corners of the box thereby providing not only a sturdy structure, but also longer sections of braiding strands.

In the various forms above described, it will be observed that the lateral walls of the box ii serve not only the purpose of supporting the uprights 16 and H, but also the function of retaining means particularly for the bales of twine 2i and 2!. In this manner such bales are kept in close proximity to the loom elements, and are i also prevented from rolling to the floor. Obviously the use of the box H as retaining means also for the strips 22 is a decided advantage.

To disassemble the apparatus all that need be done is to detach the uprights l6 and ii from the supporting walls, and place them together with the weaving materials within the box. It is thus apparent that the entire unit not only serves as a compact kit for conveniently containing all the weaving elements and materials, but also as a structural element in the loom apparatus.

It is of course understood that the various em-- bediments above-described and shown in the drawing are illustrative of my invention and not employed by way of limitation, inasmuch as nu merous changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for forming a braid of rug material, comprising two spaced uprights with slotted lower portions, supporting walls extending into and in frictional engagement with said slotted portions for vertically supporting said uprights, two bales of twine, retaining means for said bales adjacent said uprights and cooperatively associated with said walls, and strand holding means on said uprights, two selected portions of twine from said bales extending in parallel adjacent relation between and being operatively held by the said strand holding means whereby said portions of twine form two adjacent braiding strands substantially parallel throughout their length.

2. An apparatus for forming a braid of rug material, comprising two spaced uprights with slotted lower portions, two bales of twine, a laterally enclosed box for said bales, certain of the walls of said box extending into and in frictional engagement with said slotted portions of the uprights and vertically supporting the uprights, and strand holding means on said uprights, two selected portions of twine from said bales extending in parallel adjacent relation between and being operatively held by the said strand holding means whereby said portions of twine form two adjacent braiding strands substantially parallel throughout their length.

3. An apparatus for forming a braid of rug material according to claim 2, the two uprights being positioned upon and operatively supported by two opposite walls of the box.

4. An apparatus for forming a braid of rug material according to claim 2, the two uprights being positioned upon and operatively supported by two opposite walls of the box and in abutment with the adjacent wall.

strand holding means on said uprights for holding therebetween said strands of twine, said holding means on at least one of said uprights comprising two cross-slotted portions for receiving two contiguous portions of the strands extending from the other upright and frictionally holding them in tension for operatively receiving the said strips of textile material, and supporting means for said uprights.

7. In an apparatus for forming a braid of rug material from two strands of twine and strips of textile material, two spaced uprights for supporting therebetween said strands of twine, strand holding means on said uprights for holding therebetween said two strands of twine in substantially parallel relation, said holding means comprising'fixed anchoring means on one of said uprights for adjacent portions of the strands, and cross-slotted portions on. the other upright for frictionally holding contiguous portions of the strands extending from said first-mentioned upright whereby the strands are maintained in tension for operatively receiving the said strips of textile material, and supporting means for said uprights.

8. An apparatus for forming a braid of rug material according to claim 7, the upright with the cross-slotted portions comprising a unitary pole-like member with the upper terminal provided with two intersecting slots adapted to operatively receive the said strands in crossing relation.

9. In an apparatus for forming a braid of rug material from strands of twine and strips of textile matrial, two spaced pole-like uprights for supporting therebetween said strands of twine, a hook at the upper terminal of one of said uprights, the upper terminal of the other upright containing two intersecting slots adapted to frictionally receive therein in crossing relation strands extending from said hook whereby the strands are maintained in tension for operatively receiving the said strips of textile material, the lower portions of the said uprights being bifurcated, and supporting means for the uprights in frictional engagement with the said bifurcated portions thereof.

10. In an apparatus for forming a braid of rug material from strands of twine and strips of textile material, a pole-like strand supporting upright with intersecting strand-receiving slots in the upper portion thereof and a support-receiving slot in the lower portion thereof, a support in engagement with said last-mentioned slot, and strand supporting means spaced from said upright and adapted to cooperate therewith for supporting selected strands therebetween.

lVIAURICE S. ROSEN. 

